Vampire's Curse
by dragonlots
Summary: The Charmed Ones take in an innocent and learn a surprising secret about their past.   Crossed with Dark Shadows and an appearance from Kindred.


This is another older story I found, polished up a bit and posted. Hope you enjoy it.

Vampire's Curse

Dragonlots aka Dana Bell

Frantic knocking drew Paige down the carpeted stairs. She flew across the hardwood floor and threw open the double door with stain glass windows. Standing on the porch of the old Victorian was a blonde haired blue eyed woman with a bleeding wound on her neck.

"Help me," she pleaded.

Paige took the woman's arm, closed the door and escorted her into the sunshine yellow kitchen with old-fashioned glass cupboards. She settled her distraught charge at the oak table and grabbed a hand full of napkins to press against her neck.

"What happened?" Paige demanded, trying to stem the flow of blood.

The woman buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders heaved and her bordered on hysteria.

'Right now, would be a good time for Leo to make appearance', Paige thought. He had gone next door to help a neighbor repair a leaking sink.

The bleeding seemed to slowing. "Can you hold these, while I go and summon help?"

A nod responded and a hand came up to hold the soaked paper.

Paige ran out the swinging door into the formal dining room. "Leo!"

White lights orbed in and her Whitelighter and brother-in-law appeared. "What's the problem? Who's hurt?"

"Come on." Paige dragged Leo into the kitchen.

He took one look and immediately walked over to the woman who now lay slumped on the table unconscious. Placing his hand against her neck, healing energy glowed. He pulled the napkins away and gasped. "Did you see these, Paige?"

"See what?" She leaned down. Two evenly spaced punctures were there.

"I can only stop the bleeding."

"So we're dealing with a vampire." Paige remembered them from an encounter during her early years as a witch. They'd almost turned her, and her sisters, to use their powers to raise the vampire queen to a place of leadership in the demon realm after the Source had been vanquished.

"I'm going to consult the Elders. I thought with the death of the Queen, all the vampires were dead."

"Obviously not."

Leo disappeared in a sprinkling of lights.

The woman moaned. "Easy," Paige soothed, damping a cloth and placing it against her temple.

She slowly sat and blinked. "Where am I?"

"You're safe," Paige assured her. "Can you tell me what happened?" Right then, she wished Piper and Phoebe were home. Unfortunately, both sisters were out, Piper at the club and Phoebe doing an interview for her column. Since she'd had no plans, Paige had volunteered to stay home and baby sit. Thankfully, Wyatt was asleep in his crib upstairs.

"I'm dizzy."

Remembering the last time she'd given blood, the nurses had feed her cookies and juice. Paige grabbed a couple home made chocolate chip cookies and poured a glass of orange juice. She placed them on the table before her guest. "Eat these. You'll feel better." She sat in another chair. "I'm Paige."

"Angelique." The blonde nibbled on the cookies and sipped the juice.

Paige noticed then the conservative purple dress she wore. It was feminine, flattering and practical. A complete contrast to her own tight jeans and midriff pink sweater top.

"Pretty name. Old fashioned."

Angelique smiled. "Thank you."

"Look," Paige began, "I think you'd better rest for a bit."

"You want your sisters here."

The red head started. How had she known that? "Yeah. They're out."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know where else to go."

"That's okay. We help people all the time."

Angelique's smile had a bit of pride in it. "I know."

"If you're finished with those," she indicated the empty glass and eaten cookies. "I'll take upstairs so you can freshen up and rest. We can talk in the morning."

"Do you have a cross?" Paige shook her head. "Garlic."

"Garlic, yeah." Puzzled, Paige grabbed a clove and handed it to her guest. "Come on."

They went upstairs. Paige showed her where the bathroom was and settled Angelique in Gram's old bedroom. They kept it empty for unexpected overnighters.

"You should be comfortable. I'll grab you a T-shirt to sleep in."

"Thank you. I appreciate your thoughtfulness."

"Be right back." Paige ducked into her bedroom, grabbed a baggy shirt and returned. She knocked on the door and entered the room. "Here." Angelique smiled vaguely. "Sleep well. You're safe here," she repeated.

Closing the door she checked on her nephew and went back downstairs. She debated then dialed Phoebe's cell phone. Her older sister picked up after a couple of rings.

"Hello?"

"Phoebe, it's Paige. Where are you?"

"About ten minutes from home. Why?"

"We have a guest. No, don't worry, " Paige anticipated Phoebe's next question. Demons had a very bad habit of dropping in unexpectedly and destroying the house. "She's an innocent. I'll explain when you get home. Just be careful. Don't know if her attacker is still prowling close."

"Gotcha. See you in a few." Phoebe hung up.

Now, Paige needed to call Piper.

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Morning opened a hazy blue sky. Bits of sunlight peeked in the window spattering spots on the yellow walls. Piper pulled a pan of muffins out of the oven. She sniffed them and set them down on the marble-topped island. She cracked some eggs, grabbed bacon and tossed them into her frying pan.

Piper knew her strengths. She was best in the kitchen. She wore jeans and a comfy white shirt with an apron tied around her. She smiled as Phoebe stumbled in, grabbing the largest mug she could find and filling it with coffee already waiting in the electric maker. Her sister sat at the table and sipped the strong brew.

'Phoebe musn't have anything important going on today' Piper mused. From the way her younger sister was dressed, jeans and loose knit black sweater, she probably was going to work from home today.

"I made blueberry muffins," she told Phoebe.

"Give me a minute to wake up."

Paige came in next wearing a long denim skirt and an orange blouse. She made herself a cup of tea and sat at the table.

"Is our guest up?" Piper asked.

"Yeah," Paige answered. "She's taking a shower. I had to lend her some clothes. Poor thing. She'll need to wash her dress. It had blood on it."

"Blood?" Piper half turned from the stove.

"Yeah."

Leo orbed in. His jeans and brown long sleeved shirt looked a bit more wrinkled. "Sorry it took me so long. The Elders didn't want to tell me what I wanted to know."

"And why not?" Piper demanded.

"Seems our guest and now you're innocent used to practice dark magic. Being made mortal was her punishment for disobeying her master."

"She practiced dark magic!" Paige squeaked. "I had no idea!"

"It's more complicated than that," Leo said.

"More complicated?" Piper asked.

"Yeah."

The kitchen door swung open. Their guest in a simple yellow sundress, hesitated as if unsure of her welcome. "Good morning," she greeted tentatively.

"Morning, Angelique," Leo said with a smile.

She frowned at him. "Have we met?"

"Last night. I'm their Whitelighter. I healed you."

"Oh." She took a chair at the table. "You know about me."

He nodded. "I know the entire story. The Elders told me you became mortal and rebuked dark magic."

"I thought that couldn't happen," Phoebe said puzzled.

"Angelique is a rare exception. She turned against her master and he punished her. She did it to protect the Collins family." He turned to her. "That was in 1840 wasn't it?"

She nodded. "I died. Barnabas arranged to have me buried in the family cemetery." Angelique glanced down. "He returned to the future then."

"Time travel?" Piper inquired. "Glad to see others do that and not just us." She hadn't forgotten the trip back to help rescue the mother of and deliver their ancestress, who started the entire charmed line, Melinda Warren.

"They went back to undo the destruction of Collinwood." Angelique took a deep breath. "Can I have some coffee? It's a very long story."

Paige filled a mug and gave it to her. Angelique added some cream and sugar. Piper finished making breakfast and Paige set the table. All five of them sat down and ate.

When the meal was finished, Angelique sipped a bit more coffee and then spoke, "I should have stayed dead…"

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Mildew filled her nose and the sound of the wind rustling in the trees reached her ears. Her eyes fluttered open. Small rocks dug into her back. Stiffly she sat up glancing around. Slowly the shapes of tombstones registered. She was in the graveyard.

Why was she here? Memories began to surface. Barnabas coming to her in the drawing room at Collinwood. Trask running in screaming at her, firing his weapon, Barnabas wrestling him to the ground, the many shouts for Julia to come, then darkness and peace.

Shakily she got to her feet. Her clothes were mere rags and a bitter winter wind nipped at her near naked body. Shivering she stumbled out into the pitch-black night. Many times she fell. Each time she got up again and kept going.

Some instinct led her to the door of Old House. Luckily, it wasn't locked. She opened the door and collapsed in the foyer. Much later, she heard Barnabas' voice and Julia's angry tones. Drifting, she awoke much later to find herself tucked into a bed.

"We wondered when you'd wake up," Barnabas said, rising from the chair beside the bed.

"Where?" Her throat felt tight.

"Here." He offered her some water. She sipped and lay back in the warm covers. His hand gently touched her face. "I thought I'd lost you."

"You did," she whispered before falling back asleep.

Several weeks later she'd finally regained her strength. It had been something of a shock to discover herself in the far future. Julia, the short haired sour faced doctor, had endlessly needled her about how she, Angelique, had come back. She had to honestly say she had no idea.

"Enough, Julia," Barnabas had finally put a stop to Julia's questions. "It's enough she is here." He smiled warmly at her, his deep brown eyes glowing with love. Oh, how long she'd waited to see that!

He'd taken her on trips to Bangor, Portland and then Boston. He'd insisted on buying her new clothes, having her hair done, pampering her any way he could, making certain she understood current event. She'd fallen more deeply in love with him, and he with her. On one trip to Boston, he'd proposed to her and she'd said yes.

They married before they left the city and returned to Collinwood as man and wife. Julia had been furious.

"How can you marry her after all the suffering she caused you!"

"I love her," he told the doctor simply. "I realized that in 1840. Please, Julia, can't you be happy for me?"

She glared at him with unforgiving eyes and stalked out of the Old House. They learned later she took a position at a place called The Centre. She'd never contacted them again.

The rest of the Collins family welcomed her and made her feel a part of them. They'd lived happily there for several years.

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"Barnabas has been working at a business deal here for the family." She took a deep breath. "He was told he needed to come and finalize the details. We made a second honeymoon out it. The fanciest hotels, the best restaurants," she smiled, "He even sent me shopping while he worked out the details. Then night before last, on our way back to the hotel…"

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The cab pulled over. Barnabas leaned forward. "This isn't where we…"

"Shut up."

Shadows detached themselves from the dismal brick walls. Their driver got out. "I want my money."

"Pay the man," the apparent leader ordered, his ebony cloak fluttering.

Laughter echoed followed by a scream. The door was yanked off and they were dragged out the cab.

"You escaped my kiss once, Collins." Bright red eyes blazed at her husband. "But not again." The black mouth opened to reveal fangs.

"No!" she screamed, struggling against the one who held her.

"Oh, don't worry, Angelique. I've made Plans for you."

The creature sunk teeth and drank deep, draining Barnabas to the brink. It stopped just before, racking its foul chest and forcing her husband to drink its contaminating blood.

They were both taken to a warehouse and locked into a tiny dingy room. "When he awakes, he's going to be hungry." It grinned at her. "I planned my revenge carefully against you witch. Brought you back mortal." Laughter. "Now, you'll know the hunger and dread of light."

Barnabas died in her arms. She cried, then frantically looked around for a way to prevent his waking. But, her captor had been thorough. She could find nothing, not even a wooden chair leg. Her husband woke the following night, hungry.

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"He didn't want to hurt me. Barnabas fought it. But in the end, the blood lust was overpowering. He did manage to control himself enough not to kill me." She started to cry. "He ripped open the door and told me to run."

"How did you know to come to us?" Piper asked.

She hesitated. "Back in the 1790's, I was the maid servant to Josette Duprey. Barnabas was her betrothed. When she left the Martinique, he and I had an affair."

"How's that possible and yet you're both here. Now. " Phoebe wanted to know.

"I was jealous of Josette and cast a spell destroying almost the entire Collins family. My curse turned Barnabas into a vampire. His father trapped him inside his coffin. A man called Willie Loomis freed him in this century."

"You haven't answered the original question," Leo reminded her.

"The Elders told you didn't they?" He nodded. She swallowed a bit more coffee. "I never told Barnabas we had a child. A daughter. I found a good family to raise her after I realized what my curse had done. I knew I had to protect her my dark magic."

"What's that got to do with us?" Paige asked.

"She was adopted into your family line." The three young witches stared at her. "I've heard stories about all of you. The Charmed Ones. I knew the only way to get help for Barnabas and myself, was to come to you."

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"Any more surprise ancestors we need to know about?" Piper demanded, rounding on her husband after Angelique had gone back upstairs to rest.

Leo shook his head. He tore a bit of muffin and stuffed it in his mouth.

"What's the real story?" Phoebe asked.

He finished chewing and swallowed before answering. "Seems there are more than one species of vampires. Angelique," he nodded in the general area of above, "betrayed and angered one of the 'founding fathers'."

"And who was that?" Paige leaned forward.

"Dracula."

"Like in the book?" Phoebe wanted to know.

"Yeah." Leo sipped some coffee. "From what I could get from the Elders, she traveled with him for awhile. By telling the author about him and encouraging Bram to publish it," he shook his head, "Vlad Dracula declared vengeance on her."

"Turning her husband into a vampire." Piper could see the sick logic behind the vampire's actions.

Her husband nodded. "And then having Barnabas turn her into one as well. He wanted her to feel the fear of discovery, just like Dracula does now because he is known."

"But not many people believe in them," Paige put in.

"They do in his native land. All it takes is one vampire killer or a very experienced slayer."

Piper knew of both. They were included in the _Book of Shadows_. Vampire killers usually became such when loved ones were killed by one of the creatures. The slayer, on the other hand, was chosen, trained, and had great physical strength.

"Angelique still isn't safe. Not until you find a way to stop Dracula." Leo's gaze swept across the three witches.

"I'll go check the book." Paige dashed out.

"Think I'll surf the net and see what it says about vampire lore." Phoebe got up and left.

"I'll get to work on a potion." Piper pulled out their cauldron and started piling up spices. "I wonder what works on vamps?"

"Piper,"

She met her husband's eyes. "The Elders also told me, Angelique is pregnant. She doesn't know yet."

"Then we'd better find a way to vanquish this vampire and help her husband."

"I don't know if there is a way."

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Something squished under her shoe. Paige made a face. "Why can't these creatures ever stay in a nice high rise."

"My ex did," Phoebe commented. Her husband, half demon, half human had tried to turn good, but ended up being the new source. He'd finally been vanquished by trying to create an alternate reality where they would be together. It had made him vulnerable to Paige's potion. "Blew out the windows, how many times?"

Paige laughed. Piper smiled tightly. The three of them continued down the brick back alley. Trash containers lined the walls, and urine stench assaulted them.

"We're there." Phoebe stood behind a metal door. She'd had a premonition earlier about where the vamps were residing.

"Stand back." Piper waved her hands. The door exploded. She stomped in. "Yo, Dracula!"

A tall figure strode forward in the shadowed room. "Who calls?"

"We're here to kick your butt," Phoebe informed him.

The vampire laughed. "Better than you have tried."

All hell broke loose. Several shadows attacked. Phoebe levitated and kicked several. Paige threw wooden stakes. Piper blew up any who got too close.

Dracula removed himself to the sidelines and watched with a leering smile on his pale face. When all his lackys had been destroyed, the vampire laughed.

"Think its funny do ya?" Piper demanded.

"Van Helsing thought he'd killed me. I doubt three witches could succeed where he failed."

"We're not just any witches." Paige glared at him. "We're the Charmed Ones."

"Ah," his dark eyes turned red. "So much sweeter the feast."

"You won't touch them," a strong British accented voice yelled. The man appeared. He wore a dark suit and carried a silver handled cane.

"You won't harm me. I sired you."

"But not me." Another stepped out of the dark corner.

Paige noticed he seemed to be of Italian descent, complete with black hair and sable eyes. He was also very well dressed and walked with the easy arrogance of wealth.

"You don't have permission to be in my city, let alone make another of your kind."

Dracula threw back his head and howled. "I don't recognize your farce of authority of Luna."

"Really?" Luna's voice was quiet. Deadly. Paige shivered.

"I have centuries on you. You couldn't defeat me,"

Luna launched himself across the room. His hand flashed up and a stake impaled itself in the vampire's heart. He plunged it deep. Dracula's face blanched and he fell to his knees.

"I took the precaution of having a priest bless it." He looked at the three witches. "If you take his carcass to the beach and let the sun hit it," he smiled, "well, just make sure you spread the ashes."

"Okay." Piper bit her lip. "And just who are you?"

"Julian Luna. King of this city. If any of my kind trouble you again, please, know my door is open to you and I will deal with the matter."

"A good vampire?" Paige questioned.

He gave her a charming smile. "We don't embrace any who don't want to be. And we control our numbers. I have no desire to end up like him." He pointed to the still squirming Dracula.

"You must be Barnabas." Phoebe turned her attention to the other man.

He nodded sadly. "Tell my wife, I love her." His hand shook slightly as he handed them a sealed envelope. "It would be better for all who know me to think I died." He shook his head. "I can't go through the deceit again."

"What will you do?" Piper asked him.

"He'll stay with me." Julian said. "He'll be safe with us."

Piper seemed to be struggling with something. "Barnabas," she touched his arm. "Even your wife doesn't know, but she's pregnant."

Delight danced across his face. "I'm to be a father!"

"She could come and stay with us," Julian offered.

"What kind of life can I offer her?"

"Maybe we can fix that," Piper commented.

Paige threw her older sister a surprised look. "How?"

"We're not the Charmed Ones for nothing!"

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There wasn't a spell in the book, but that didn't deter Piper. With Phoebe's and Paige's help they composed a spell and on the night of the fullest moon, they placed Barnabas in a protective circle. Each woman dressed in pure white and held candles, plus a special potion Piper had brewed. She hadn't shared what was in it, she'd just told her sisters it held special ingredients.

"Drink it," Piper ordered Barnabas.

The vampire hesitated but did as he was told. Immediately he fell to his knees clutching at his chest. "It burns."

Red, yellow and green lights played through the attic window and bathed the writhing man.

"Now," Piper said.

As one, the sister's voices rose in a spell that sounded both of voice and music. He screamed once as the form of a bat ripped out of his body and Barnabas fell to the floor panting.

"I'm free," he breathed before he collapsed.

Leo entered the room and helped take the unconscious man to Gram's room. Piper watched as Angelique lovingly covered her husband with a bright quilt.

"How can I ever thank you?" The blonde woman asked.

"Just promise us we can visit you," Piper answered.

"I promise."

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Several days later, the couple got into a cab headed for the airport. Barnabas had completed the business deal and called his cousin in Collinsport. They waved as the yellow car pulled away.

"What's wrong, Leo?" Piper asked, gazing up into her husband's troubled face.

"You'll need to stay in close contact with them."

"And why is that?" She sensed there was one more secret Leo hadn't shared.

"You'll know when you need to."

"Leo," her tone held a warning.

He sighed in surrender. "Their child has been touched by vampire cells. That didn't change when you freed Barnabas."

"What does that mean?" Phoebe wanted to know. "Won't their baby be normal?"

"For the most part." He frowned. "The Elders weren't specific."

"When are they ever," Piper huffed.

"Well," Paige brandished a piece of paper. "I have their address and their phone number."

"Good move, Paige," Phoebe approved.

"Thank you." She went back into the house, Phoebe right behind her.

"Didn't tell them, did you?" Piper put her hands on her hips.

"No." He gave her sad smile. "But we'll stay close and be there when they need us to be."

"You can count it. I have no intention of allowing member of this family to fall to a vampire's curse."

"Nor do I," he agreed. He put an arm around her and went back into the house.

Neither of them saw the black cloaked figure with glowing red eyes that laughed at their resolve.


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